Psychopathologic and Functional Outcome in the Treatment of Elderly Inpatients With Depressive Disorders, Dementia, Delirium, and Psychoses
Jens Kronborg Djernes a3, Nils Chr. Gulmann a1, Kirsten E. Abelskov a1, Søren Juul-Nielsen a1 and Lisbeth Sørensen a2
a1 Department of Psychogeriatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
a2 Department of Psychiatric Demography, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
a3 Department of Geriatrics District Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
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AbstractThe objectives of this report were to investigate the functional implications and the possible rehabilitation potentials of dementia, delirium, and psychosis in elderly inpatients, compared with that in depression. During 1 year, all patients in a psychogeriatric university clinic were assessed on admission and at discharge with a selection of rating scales and diagnosed according to ICD-10 by consultants with no knowledge of the results of the ratings. All patients who had a principal diagnosis of major depression, dementia, delirium, or a psychosis are discussed. Ratings were made for psychopathology, behavioral disorders, depressive statements, intellectual functioning, activities of daily living, and gait. Depressive and delirious patients improved their status significantly (p [less-than-or-equal] .03) in all six assessments, and patients with dementia improved their psychopathology status (p = .002), but the other assessments were unchanged. Results from the small sample (n = 8) of psychotic patients were mainly inconclusive, but there was a tendency for improvement with respect to psychopathology and gait.
(Received June 23 1997)
(Accepted November 11 1997)
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